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Helping hands, healing hearts

After moving away to California and Hawaii, Melanie Goldsmith returned to Columbia and heard some disturbing news.

She was only back in town for a few months when she heard about Columbia being ranked No. 1 in the state for domestic violence reports per capita in 2011.

She was “shocked” and “appalled” at the data. Instead of sitting idle, she decided to volunteer at Center of Hope. She has worked at the victim advocacy center since Aug. 2012 and averages about 5-10 hours per week.

Most people don’t understand the causes of domestic violence and sexual assault, she said. The intimate subject matter makes domestic violence almost taboo to talk about, she added.

Domestic violence is an epidemic facing our country, she said. Until people — both younger and older — are willing to discuss the issue, there can be no solutions, Goldsmith added.

A key to curbing domestic violence lies in education, she said. Children should start learning skills to avoid domestic violence in elementary school, around the same time they are exposed to the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program, Goldsmith said.

“If people were more informed (as children), they will make better choices,” she said.

Goldsmith is no stranger to dealing with domestic violence. While in California, she worked with domestic violence victims in Bakersfield. Almost everyone she knows has been affected by domestic violence in some way, she said.

In Columbia, Goldsmith has delivered flyers, watched victim’s children while they are being counseled, answered phones and performed many other tasks.

When Center of Hope’s food pantry for victims was almost empty, Goldsmith went into the community and solicited donations from local churches and businesses. She said she was surprised at the compassion of local people.

Goldsmith continues to volunteer because it gives her a good feeling.

“I am capable of helping, and I’m a firm believer that if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem,” she said. “By doing nothing, you are supporting the behaviors that cause domestic violence.”

Center of Hope Director Angela Slack said Goldsmith is a “godsend” to the organization. Goldsmith recently joined Center of Hope’s board of directors and is chairing a marketing and public relations committee, Slack said.

“She has just kind of jumped in with both feet and hit the ground running and hasn’t stopped,” Slack said about Goldsmith. “I could talk for hours on how awesome she is.”

Slack said Center of Hope has a roster of about 20-30 volunteers, but the organization also works with churches and civic groups who undertake community projects that benefit domestic violence victims.

Volunteers provide more resources and energy for victim services, Slack said. Having volunteers also allows other staff members to focus time on other issues and solutions for victims, she added.

“One of the keys to the solutions to domestic violence lies outside of the realms of the justice system and in the community at large,” Slack said. “The more volunteers we have engaged in addressing this issue, that means a larger portion of the community is actively engaged in addressing the issue.”

The more awareness there is about Columbia’s domestic violence problem, the more opportunities there are to correct the issue, Slack said. Some people volunteer to raise awareness, while others contact elected officials or create discussions with family and friends about domestic violence, she added.

Center of Hope also accepts food, clothing and other household items to help domestic violence victims. Monetary donations are also accepted.

“Anything that you have in your house, if it is still in good condition and you are not using it, we can put to use,” Slack said.

Center of Hope has volunteer opportunities for anyone who wants them, Slack said. She hopes to eventually weave more volunteers into the center’s domestic violence shelter initiative and its court advocacy program.

Those interested in volunteering can call Center of Hope at (931) 840-0916 ext. 101.

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